Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Killer Fish Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 31, 2014

The title “Killer Fish” is a blunt instrument, but it doesn’t precisely describe the 1979 feature. Instead of being a movie solely dedicated to an underwater massacre, “Killer Fish” is actually more of a disaster extravaganza mixed with a heist film, with piranha activity worked into the effort at a few choice moments. Instead of conjuring a frenzy, director Antonio Margheriti keeps the picture low to the ground, working a routine of double-crosses and explosions instead of celebrating the unique threat the titular menace provides.

There’s a beefy late-70s cast in “Killer Fish” who’ve come to play, with Lee Majors leading an ensemble that’s surprisingly game to play up the absurdities of the story. Trouble is, the picture is too slack to frighten or enthrall, imagining itself as more of a sophisticated battle of wits than a down and dirty B-movie that involves piranha attacks.

Killer Fish Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation is nicely refreshed for its HD debut, with bold colors that bring out the best in costuming and locations, while green jewels offer their intended pop. Skintones also look healthy and true. Detail is satisfactory, and while some degree of age and softness is present, facial textures are comfortable and miniature work is explored more closely. Black levels are adequate, showing some solidification in the opening of the picture. Damage is detected with scratches, debris, and rough edits. Around 76:00, flashes of blue burn marks appear for a few moments.

Killer Fish Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers a very limited scope, leading with a flat, blunt presence that takes some work to balance out at home. Hiss and pops are present, along with some damage spots. Dialogue is thick, often slapped over the larger action set-pieces, making intelligibility challenging. Explosions are surprisingly thin, with no real difference from the rest of the mix, missing any sort of punch. Scoring and soundtrack efforts are functional but never extraordinary.

Killer Fish Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (53:21, HD) with actor Frank Pesce is conducted over dinner by William Lustig. The two friends have a ball working through Pesce's varied career, including his time on the set of "Rocky." The conversation ultimately arrives at "Killer Fish," with Pesce sharing anecdotes about the location, difficulty communicating with the production, and on-set shenanigans with co-stars. The energy is upbeat, making the meeting fun to watch.

• A Theatrical Trailer (1:51, SD) is included.

Killer Fish Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Explosions and the wrath of Mother Nature eventually take over "Killer Fish," watching the cast react to cruddy special effects. The fish finally factor into the picture during the final act, but the results are underwhelming. In fact, "Killer Fish" is best as a heist movie with paranoid participants, allowing the cast to work on the characters and the production to concentrate on the basics of suspense. Efforts to construct a "Jaws" rip-off only slacken the endeavor, pulling attention away from a decent depiction of backstabbing intentions and South American disorientation.